Slow-closing valve mechanism for fluid-containing tanks



Jan. 5 1926.

T. W; RYAN SLOW CLOSING VALVE MECHANISM FOR FLUID CONTAINING TANKS Filed on. 18, 1

Invenfor. Thomas W. R ycm Patented Jan. 5, 1926.

'IU NITED STATES 1,568,346 PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS RYAN, or CONCORD JUNCTION, MASSACHUSETTS.

SLOW-CLOSING VALVE MECHANISM FOR FLUID-CONTAINING TANKS.

Application filed October 18, 1924. Serial No. 744,353.

To all whom itma-g concern:

1 Be it known that I, THOMAS W. RYAN, a citizenof the United States, and a resident of "Concord J unction, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Slow-Closing 'Valve Mechanisms for Fluid-Containing Tanks, of which the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in outlet valve mechanisms for fluid-containing tanks and the general objectof the invention is to provide a novelvalve construction in which the closing movement of the valve is automatic-ally controlled.

More particularly the object of the invention is to provide a slow closing valveconstructon in which the closing movement of 3 the valve is delayed by the action of a dash pot.

.A further object of the invention is'to provide a valve construction for an outlet conduit. in which means, operable by the water flowing throughthe conduit, exerts a retarding action upon the closing movement of the valve. 'lhisisaccomplished in the present construction by providing a closed dash pot having a piston connected to the valve, the dash pot being. provided with means for establishing a restricted communication with the liquid in the tank below the piston and a conduit communicating with, the upper portion of the dash pot and also with the outlet, whereby the flow of water through the outlet willproduce a partial vacuum in the chamber of the dash pot above the piston.

a A further Object of the invention is to provide an outlet valve construction of this character which is simple and economical in construction and one which can be readily installed in usual typesof liquid-containing tanks, such asflushtanks. Other objects and features of the invention will more full appear from the following description an the accompanying draw-- ing andwill be particularly pointed out in.

the claims.

The drawing illustrates in vertical section a preferred form of outletvalve for a liquidcontaining tank as embodied ina .flush tank of the usual type, which is shown mainly in section and broken away for convenience in illustration.

The outlet valve construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprises an outlet conduit 1, preferably ofcylindrical contour, adapted to be mounted in the usual outlet aperture in the bottom of a flush tank 2. The conduit 1 is provided with a head which presents a flat shoulder adapted to engage a washer or packing ring 4 seated upon the upper face of the bottom of the tank 2. The outer wall of the conduit is screw threaded to receive the usual clamping nut 5 by which the outlet valve is secured to the tank. The usual outlet pipe 6 is connected to the end of the outlet conduit 1.

The head 3 of theoutlet conduit is provided with an integral annular upwardly extending member 7 havinga preferably converging end wall presenting a valve seat 8. The head desirably also is provided with a laterally extending hollow boss 9 which receives the lower end of the usual overflow pipe 10. The head also desirably is provided with a laterally extending hollow boss 11 which communicates with the chamber of a hollow internal ribl2 which preferably is cast integral with the casing, the rib and with a cylinder 16 the axis of which is in alinement with the axis of the valve seat The cylinder 16 is preferably has an integral bottom provided with a port 17 adapted to establish a restricted communication for the liquid between the lower portion of the cylinder and the liquid-containing tank. A

piston 18 is reciprocably mounted in the cylinder 16 and is connected to the valve 19 which co-operates with the valve seat 8.

In the preferred construction illustrated herein the piston 18 has a cylindrical periphery 20 with a relatively narrow transverse web 21, from the lower face of which a preferably integral cylindrical extension or stem 22 extends in axial alinement with the valve seat and is connectedat its lower end to the valve 19. Such a connection may be made by screw threading the end portion of the stem 22 and providing the valve 19 with a central aperture having complementary screw threads to engage those upon the stem 2 A suitable washer 23 may be clamped against the face of the valve by a nut 24. The web 21 desirably is also provided with an upwardly extending hollow boss 26 having an internally screw threaded wall which receives the lower end of an actuating rod 27 flexibly connected by a chain 28 or otherwise to the arm 29 of the usual bell crank lever which is fulcrumed upon the wall of the tank and operated by a conveniently located handle 30.

In the operation of the construction above described the actuation of the handle 30 raises the actuating rod 27 thereby raising the piston 21 and with it the valve 19, thus permitting water to flow freely from the tank into the conduit. As the piston is moved upwardly, however, a partial vacuum will be created in the lower portion ot' the chamber of the cylinder 16 and water will be drawn upwardly into the same through the port 17 in the lower end of the cylinder. Then the handle is released water will flow from the cylinder through the port 17, but its flow will be so restricted that the descent of the piston and valve under the action of gravity will be relatively slow and the tank permitted to be discharged before the. valve is. again seated.

By regulating the size of the aperture 17 the retarding action of the piston upon the valve may be varied.

The construction thus described may be considered a dash pot for controlling the closinginovement of the valve and it will be obvious that other forms of dash pots simi larly or differently located may be employed for the purpose of retarding the closing movement of the valve within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Vhile the construction is illustrated herein as comprising a gravity valve, it will be obvious that any other type of valve may be employed which normally tends to remain in or move toward closed position, the

closing movement of which when opened is retarded by the action of a dash pot.

The. valve construction above described may be of sufficient length to extend above the normal level of the water in the tankas determined by the overflow pipe. Preferably, however, the cylinder or dash pot is provision not only of means for effecting this purpose, but also of means by which the flow of liquid through the outlet conduit, after the valve is opened, will produce a partial vacuum in the upper portion of the cylinder which will also exert a retarding ef fect upon the descent of the piston.

In the particular embodiment of the invention disclosed herein the upper end of the wall of the cylinder is provided with an annular recess presenting a peripheral cylindrical wall 31 provided with a horizontal shoulder 32. The upper end of the cylinder is closed by .a cap 33 having a cylindrical peripheral wall 34 the outer face of which desirably is flush with the cylinder and the inner face of which tightly fits upon the cylindrical surface 31 at the upper end of the cylinder. The cap desirably is provided with a downwardly extending boss 35 which forms a bearing for the rod 27 which actuates the piston 21. The cap also desirably is provided with a laterally extending hollow boss 36 having a downward angular extension 37 which is bored to provide a cylindrical socket adapted to fit slidingly and tightly upon the upper end of a pipe 38, the lower end of which is externally screw threaded and secured to the upper end of the hollow boss 11 in such a manner as to communicate with the conduit 13.

It will be noted that the conduit 13 communicates with the outlet pipe 6 into which the water flows through the outlet conduit 1 so that the construction provides an air pump of the Sprengel type which exhausts the air from the upper portion of the cylinder thereby producing a partial vacuum therein which exerts a retarding action upon the descent of the piston. As soon, however, as the valve 16 becomes seated and the flow of water through the outlet conduit 1 ceases, the suction through the pipe 13 is broken and normal atmospheric pressure is established in the upper portion of the cylinder. The conduit from the upper portion of the cylinder through the pipes 38 and conduit 13 also serves to permit the escape of air from the upper portion of the cylinder when the piston is raised.

It will be obvious that the construction can be readily modified to provide means for resistingthe opening movement of the valve and to cause a quick closing movement of the valve by reversing the positions of the ports which communicate with the lower and upper portion of the cylinder, that is to say, with a submerged valve outlet mechanism as above described the top may be provided with a port 17 to permit water to flow into the upper portion of the cylinder while the conduit 13 may be connected to the lower portion of the cylinder in which case the upward movement of the piston will be retarded by the force required to dischargeithe: water in. theupper portion of the cylinder through a restricted port, whereas a partial vacuum would be'established in the lower portion of the cylinder by thepsprengel pump action of the .water discharged-through the outlet conduit after the valve has been opened so that when the open valve is released it will be forced toward. closed :position by the weight of water uponthe upper face oflthe piston and also by the action of the vacuum upon the under face of the piston. l 1 It will 'beunderstood that the embodiment of the .inventionwdisclosed herein is illustrative and not restrictive and that various-changes may be made in form, construction and arrangement of parts within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A slow closing outlet valve construction for a liquid-containing tank having a valve seat, a co-operating valve normally tending to engage said valve seat and means for withdrawing said valve from its seat; comprising a dash pot having a piston connected to said valve, a closed cylinder for said piston providing an air chamber above the piston and means for admitting liquid into the cylinder below the piston upon the opening movement of said valve and for gradually discharging said liquid during the closing movement thereof and means for producing a partial vacuum in the portion of the cylinder above the piston during the closing movement of said valve.

2. A slow closing outlet valve construction for a liquid-containing tank comprising an outlet conduit having a valve seat, a valve co-operating therewith normally tending to engage said valve seat and having a vertical valve stem, a iston on said valve stem, a cylinder for said piston providing an air chamber above the piston, means for admitting fluid to the chamber below the piston upon the opening movement of said valve and for gradually discharging said fluid during the closing movement thereof and means for producing a partial vacuum in the upper portion of said cylinder during the closing movement of the valve.

3. A slow closing valve construction for a liquid-containing tank comprising an outlet conduit having a valve seat, a co-operating valve tending normally to engage said valve seat, means for withdrawing said valve from the seat, means operable by the water flowing through said outlet to produce a partial vacuum and means operable thereby to exert a gradual retarding action upon the closing movement of said valve.

4. A slow closing outlet valve construction for a liquid-containing tank comprising an outlet conduit having avalve seat, a valve co-operating therewith tending normally to engage said valve seat, means for opening said valve, a dash pot submerged in the liquid in said tank comprising a closed cylinder having a piston con- 'nected to said valve, said dash pot being provided with means for admitting liquid from said tank to the chamber of said dash pot beneath said piston upon the opening movement of said valve and for gradually dischargingthe liquid from said chamber and an air conduit leading to the chamber of the dash pot above the piston.

5. A slow closing outlet valve construction'for a liquid-containing tank comprising an outlet conduit provided with a valve seat, a gravity valve co-operating with said valve seat, a valve cage mounted upon said outlet conduit having a cylindrical chamber in axial alinement with the valve seat, a piston in said chamber, means connecting said piston and said valve, means for establishing a restricted communication between the lower portion of said cylinder and piston to permit liquid to flow into said cylinder during the opening of the valve and to permit a restricted flow of fluid from said chamber during the closing movement of the valve and means for partially exhausting the air from the portion of the cylinder above said piston during the closing movement of the valve.

6. A slow closing outlet valve construction for. a liquid-containing tank comprising an outlet conduit provided with a valve seat, a gravity valve co-operating with said valve seat, a valve cage mounted upon said outlet conduit having a closed cylindrical chamber in axial alinement with said valve seat and provided with a port establishing a restricted communication between the lower portion of said chambeiand said tank, means connecting said piston and valve and an air conduit communicating with said chamber above said piston and with said outlet conduit below said valve seat.

7. A slow closing outlet valve construction for a liquid-containing tank comprisin an outlet conduit presenting a valve seat an an enclosed air conduit communicating at its lower end with the outlet for the liquid and having its upper end external to said valve seat, a gravity valve co-operating with said valve seat, a valve cage mounted upon said outlet conduit having a cylindrical chamber in axial alinement with said valve seat and provided with a port in its lower portion permitting a restricted communication with said tank, a piston in said chamber, means connecting said piston to said valve, a cap fitting the top of said cylindrical chamber and a conduit leading from said cap to the upper end of said air conduit whereby upon the opening movement of the valve the chamber above the piston will be subject to the action of a partial vacuum.

8. A slow closing outlet valve construction for a liquid-containing tank comprising an outlet conduit presenting a valve seat and an enclosed air conduit communicating at its lower end with the outlet for the liquid and having its upper end external to said valve seat, a gravity valve cooperating with said valve seat, a valve cage mounted upon said outlet conduit having a cylindrical chamber in axial alinement with said valve seat and provided with a port in its lower portion permitting a restricted communication with said tank, a piston in said chamber, means connecting said piston to said valve, a cap slidably fitting the top of said chamber having a laterally extending hollow boss and a pipe secured to the upper end of said air conduit slidably fitting into said hollow boss.

9. An outlet valve construction for a liquid-containing tank comprisingan outlet conduit having a valve seat, a valve cooperating with; said valve seat, a closed cylinder having a piston reciprocable therein connected to saidvalve, means for per mitting a restricted flow of liquid between said tank and the chamber of the cylinder upon one side of the piston and an air conduit leading from the chamber upon the other side of the piston to said outlet conduit whereby the movement of the valve in one direction is aided by the partial vacuum produced in one chamber and the movement of the valve in the other direction is retarded by the restricted discharge of liquid from the chamber in the cylinder.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

THOMAS W. RYAN. 

